Woman accused of sexually exploiting Loveland boy

Feb. 19, 2014

LOVELAND- At first, it might sound like two young people just getting to know each other over the internet. But police say 20-year-old Mary Doty from Illinois is sitting in the Larimer County jail because she engaged in "sexually explicit" messages online with a 14-year-old victim.

Court records say she performed sexual acts on camera for the boy, and he did the same for her.

"It's kind of disturbing," Loveland Police Sgt. Justin Chase said. "A lot of times in these types of predatory situations they will find their victims in chat rooms."

Because the boy wasn't yet 15 years old, and Doty was more than four years older, the crime is sexual exploitation. At the time, she was 19.

According to the arrest affidavit, the Loveland teenager's mother found out what was happening when she looked at her son's Facebook account.

That's when she contacted police in Illinois.

"It looks like she was arrested in Illinois and extradited to Colorado," Chase said.

Doty told police she planned to meet the boy for "sexual interaction" in Colorado in the summer of 2012.

9NEWS spoke with Doty's family by phone, and they say the boy came to visit her in Illinois. They don't think Doty is a criminal, though police disagree.

"Mary, in this case, knew how old the victim was, and that did not deter her," Chase said.

"This is a pretty serious crime. This happens, unfortunately, more and more often," he added.

Chase says this case is an indication of what can happen to your children on the internet.

"This can happen worldwide," he said.

It's vital for parents to know what their children are doing online to prevent cases like this, added Chase.